


Conference

by NonsenseNotebook



Category: oneyplays
Genre: AU, M/M, ding dong is bippy's dad, julian is the art teacher/soccer coach, parent/teacher AU, they fall in love because bippy is a mean child
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-03-13 17:03:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13575018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NonsenseNotebook/pseuds/NonsenseNotebook
Summary: Bippy is a student with problems and it brings two grown men together somehow listen that sounds weird but this a sweet fic trust me





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i know this isnt Scattered Stars but trust me im working on that its just that SCATTERED STARS IS HARD TO WRITE IM SORRY

Bippy was a problem child. Julian knew this, as well did every other teacher who had the third grader in their class. As an art teacher and a soccer coach, he had dealt with with fair share of problem kids. Usually they stopped after he stopped giving attention to the problem, or with the threat of being kicked off the team.

Bippy did not stop.

The child, with dark hair and darker eyes, so much like his father, who Julian saw every saturday at practice drop off and pick up, pushed him to his limit when he nearly broke his own goalie’s leg. Not with a ball either, he had picked a fight with him, his excuse being that it was unfair that he got to use his hands while he didn’t.

He didn’t want to do what had to happen next, but he was left with no choice. His father was called to pick him up immediately, and Bippy was suspended from the team. He remembered the scene he caused at pick up. Yelling, crying, trying to punch his father in the face. It was hard to watch.

It was hard to wait now as well. It was always strange to be in his classroom after school hours. It felt too empty. Monday had rolled around, and it was time for his conference with Mr. Jones.

He fiddled with the paintbrushes that littered his desk for the thousandth time. He was nervous. He had never talked to the man at length, short hello’s on saturday, a few questions here and there about the team, how's the season going, is Bippy doing good, I like the mustache Mr. Marcel it's a good look for you. 

_ God  _ Julian thought,  _ Keep it together, he’s a parent, you’re a teacher, it's inappropriate, unprofessional _ . But he’d be lying if he didn’t find the man attractive. Tall, short, dark curls of hair, with those piercing eyes and that genuine smile. 

He was knocked out of his daydream by the man himself bursting into the room, short of breath.

“I’M LATE I’M SORRY!” Julian was confused for a moment.

“Only by five minutes Mr. Jones, it’s not that big of a deal.” I would’ve waited forever for a man like you, his heart tells him to say. He doesn’t. “Please, take a seat.” He gestured towards one of the small plastic children’s chairs he had set up in front of the desk and, oh, he looked so awkward sitting in it, legs pushed up against his chest, limbs askew as he tried to get comfortable. It almost made up for the embarrassment of forgetting to ask for an extra adult sized chair for the meeting. “I’m sorry about the chair, elementary school sized, y’know?”

“Oh it’s fine.” The man said, straightening his back to look up at Julian.

“So Mr. Jones-”

“Dee is fine, actually.”

“Dee?”

“Short for uh, Donovan, it’s an old nickname, but I’d prefer if you use that, if that's okay.”

“That’s fine. So, Dee. Your son has a bit of a track record here at school, I’m sure you know of it.”

“Actually...not really.” He ducked his head to the side as he said it.

“Really?” he raised an eyebrow. “I’ve sent notices home with Bippy before, and voicemails as well.”

“I have a busy job, it doesn’t leave as much time as I’d like to send with him and talk about school. It’s actually why I’m late, I had to rush over.”

“Well I’m sorry you have to learn this way, but Bippy is close to failing a few of his classes, including art, and with the incident at practice this weekend it’s likely he’ll be kicked off the team.” Dee didn’t say anything to that, just rubbed his hand against his face and sighed. “I hate to ask this, but is there anyone else at home with you? A Mrs.Jones perhaps.”

“No!” He whipped up at that, before coughing and settling back down. “Ah, no, there hasn’t been a Mrs.Jones in a while.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I’m gay.” Oh.

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry! What I mean is, divorce, is all. Happened a few years back.”

“Was it a messy break?”

“No, actually. We left on happy terms, she gave me full custody without a fight.”

“Hmm.”

“What?”

“Well, with your busy job, and no second parental unit, I assume he’s home alone, or with a babysitter right?”

“I get one when I can yeah.”

“Well, these outbursts might just be a call for attention rather than any major behavioral issue. He might feel unwanted, like she just left because his mother didn’t want him? I’m not a psychologist by any means, but…”

“God you’re right.” Dee covered his face with his hands. “I’m a terrible father.” 

Julian got out of his chair and moved beside him. “Hey, don’t say that, you’re doing the best you can.” It hurt his heart to see him like this. “Bippy is a smart student, always asks questions, he just, doesn’t channel his effort into classes.” He reached down awkwardly to pat the man’s back. “Just talk to him when you get home. Ask him how school was, help him with homework. Get him to help out in the kitchen if you can, just, make him feel like you’re involved in his life.”

“Yeah,” Dee said quietly as his stood out of the small chair. “Yeah, you’re right. I just gotta, do more than I already have.”

“That’s the spirit.” He smiled, and then suddenly they were hugging. Dee was a very good hugger. After a moment they stepped away, Dee coughing nervously.

“Thank you for the talk Mr. Marcel.”

“Julian, and uh, we have some brochures in the office about children and discipline if you’d like one.”

“Yes! That sounds like a good place to start.” There was a determined spark in his eye, and Julian felt proud knowing he had put it there. 

They shook hands, said their short goodbye, and Julian was left alone in the classroom again, still thinking about Dee, and his tight hugs, and his cute smile.

God, he was in  _ deep _ .


	2. Chapter 2

 

Dee really did want to do right by his son, so that night, he took some of Julian’s advice to heart and wrangled Bippy out of his room and into the kitchen. It was slow going, he hadn’t made his own dinner by scratch in years, but Bippy was at least getting involved in the process, doing his best to cut some carrots with a butter knife (he wasn’t just going to give a third grader a dangerous tool). Once they got into it, he tried to breach the topic of his school issues with him.

“So, Bippy, I talked with Mr. Marcel today.” his son only grunted in response, focused on his vegetables. “He said that uh, that you weren’t doing so good in your classes, that you might not be able to finish this soccer season, do you wanna tell me what’s going on?”

“No.”

He wasn’t too sure what to do with that. 

“How about we talk about something else then, uh, any cool games you’re looking forward to? Anything good on tv lately?”

“Not really. Carrots are done.”

“Oh. Thanks.” Again he was at a loss. He tossed the roughly chopped carrots in with the rest of the stew. “Is there anything you wanna talk about? I know we don’t get to hang out a lot anymore with the new job and all but, I want you to know that I’m here for you if you need me.”

No response this time, he just leaned back in his chair and averted his gaze. Dee sighed, and crossed his arms. It was time to just dive in, there wasn’t much else to do.

“I know we haven’t, talked much about, your mother,” Bippy didn’t say anything, but he did visibly freeze in his place. “But I think it’s time we changed that, y’know? Julian said that maybe, you feel like she-”

“You like him don’t you.” It was Dee’s turn to freeze in place. He was completely floored by the statement.

“I, what do you-”

“You  _ like  _ Mr. Marcel. You don’t even know my regular teacher, but you know his first name. That means you like him.  _ Really  _ like him.” He had the smuggest grin on his face. He was only doing this to derail the conversation, and Dee knew it.

“I-”

“Do you like him? Yes or no?” God he wasn’t going to get out of this.

“Bippy, this isn’t-”

“Yes or no!”

“I don’t know! Yes?!” He threw his hands up defensibly as he flopped down into the other kitchen chair. “Listen Bippy,” he moved to rest his head in his hand. “Can I talk to you, man to man?” Bippy nodded as he not so subtly copied his father’s position. This wasn’t the conversation he wanted to have tonight, but if it got them actually talking to each other, he would take it. “Do you know why your mother and I, separated?”

“Yeah, she told me it’s cuz you like to get fu-”

“ _ I know what she said. _ And I know _ I _ told you not to repeat what she said that Easter, remember?” They both giggled a little. “But uh, yes. It was because, I like men.”

“Yeah, you’re gay.”

“Yea- wait, how do you know what that is?”

“Tv.”

“... Okay then, yeah, I’m gay. So it was, inevitable that I was going to  _ like  _ another man, but I know it’s, weird, that it’s your teacher, right?”

“Nah.”

“What?”

“Mr. Marcel is gay too.”  _ What _ ?

“ _ What? _ How do know that?” Bippy just shrugged and made a general ‘I don’t know’ sound. “Bippy. How do you know.” This time he looked away from him. He didn’t know whether to be worried or suspicious. “Benjamin.” He knew his kid hated being called his full name. “Tell me.”

“I kinda…”

“Yes?”

“Stole his sketchbook one time during class?”

“Bippy!”

“I gave it back! It was just a buncha doodles of cartoons and some drawings of guys.”

Dee sighed as he massaged his temples. “Bipster, you know you shouldn’t take things that aren’t yours!” He got up to start serving the stew.

“I just wanted to see what he was drawing all the time! I put it back on his desk when I was done!” Dee didn’t say anything, just gave him a look as he set the bowls on the table. Things were quiet for a minute as he tasted their first homemade meal they made together. It wasn’t too good.

“I think he likes you too.”

Dee sputtered out most of his spoonful as Bippy laughed at him.

“He drew you a few times, I think that means he likes you.” He couldn’t say anything. How do you respond to your child saying that his art teacher slash soccer coach likes you and draws you in his sketchbooks? All he could do was try to control the blush he knew was on his face as Bippy tried the stew. His face scrunched up as he got a taste of it.

“Hey dad?”

“It’s not that good is it?”

“Nuh-uh.”

“Okay,” He stood up from the table. “How ‘bout I order us a pizza?”

“Yeah!” Bippy got up and ran out to the living room, probably to watch tv as they waited.

“Hey! Get back here and clean up your bowl!” Dee shook his head and pulled out his phone. This night was not near what he envisioned, and it astounded him that Bippy could just bounce around the topics like that, but that's kids for you. He gave a tired smile as he watched Bippy place the bowls in the sink, not even rinsing them out. He’d get them later. He ruffled Bippy’s hair as they walked to the living room. Pizza and a movie sounded like a great way to end this night.

 


	3. Chapter 3

The solution was exceedingly simple. If his dad and Mr. Marcel fell in love, then he’d get to play soccer again, and he wouldn’t get in trouble for his bad grades. It was just like the movies, all he had to do was the push them together like the charming child protagonist he was and he’d get everything he wanted.  
He went to school that morning with confidence. Instead of going straight to his class, he slid into Mr. Marcel’s room instead. It was empty except for the man himself, there weren’t any art classes this early. 

He looked a lot like his dad did when he woke up, dead to world, nursing a small cup of coffee. He didn’t even notice him walking up to his desk until he cleared his throat. That got him to jolt a little in surprise as he looked down at him.

“Oh! Hey there, Bippy.” he glanced at the clock on the classroom wall “Isn’t it a bit early for you to be here?” Bippy suppressed a giggle as he got ready to put his plan in action.

“Yeah, but I had something real important to tell you!” Mr. Marcel raised an eyebrow as he continued to sip his coffee.

“What was so important that you’re gonna risk missing homeroom to tell me?”

“You need to ask my dad out on a date.” Nope, no, oh god that was not how he was supposed to start this. All of his planned and practice subtlety dissipated in that moment. Mr. Marcel sputtered his coffee all over his desk.

“What?” His teacher gasped as he tried to dab the drink off his shirt.

“Well, it's just, uh,” This was not how this was supposed to happen. “Just, like! We were talking last night, and I think he  _ likes you _ likes you! And that means you’re supposed to go on a date with him!”

“Bippy-”

“And you have to ask him-”

“Bippy-”

“Because he's too busy and he’s scared-”

“Benjamin.”

“... to ask you.” All he could do was look at his feet. He made a fool of himself. Mr. Marcel made his way around the desk and kneeled down in front of him.

“Look at me Bippy. I know you care about your dad, right? And this was, sweet of you to do, sure. But he’s a grown man, and you’re just a kid. And you shouldn’t be going around asking people to, date him. You understand that right?” He didn’t really get what he was saying but he nodded anyway, he just wanted to get to his regular class and forget that he even tried this. “Alright, you should be going now then, don’t wanna be late now.” Bippy shuffled his way out with his head ducked down.

Julian sighed as he stood back up. This wasn’t exactly a situation he knew how to deal with. Sure he liked Dee, and yea it would be pretty nice to go on a date with him, but that wasn’t something he could just, do. He was the parent of one of his students, and always busy with his job it seemed and so was Julian.

It probably would never happen.

  
Still, he thought as he looked as his phone, it wouldn’t hurt to just, call, right? And he should call anyway, let him know what his son was up to.

The number was dialed, the phone ringing, he couldn’t stop now, Dee would just call back if he saw his number. He nearly lost his breath as he heard the click of his call being picked up.

“This is Donovan.”

“Oh! Uh, yeah! Hey this is Julian, Bippy’s teacher.”

“Oh hey! Yea, uh- oh god did he do something?”

“No! No, uh, well, nothing bad no he just, uh, came by just now and told me something, it was silly but I thought you should know because, it does, concern you.” 

“What did he say?”

“He said that you, ‘like liked me’ and that I needed to ask you out on a date! Can you believe that!” He forced himself to give a stilted laugh to try and play it off.

“He did?”

“Yeah I know, kids right?” The call went quiet for a moment. His hands were sweating. “Well uh, I know you’re a busy guy, I should-”

“No don’t worry I’m just, driving, uh.” He heard him take a deep breath. “If, If you, want, to maybe, get lunch sometime? Or just, maybe a coffee? It’s fine if you don’t want to I just thought…”

“Oh! No yeah that!” He felt his face heat up considerably. “That sounds really nice, I’d love to.”

“Good! Is Sunday good? Bippy wanted to go play with a friend that day, and I have it off so, if you wanted that lunch…”

“Yeah! Sunday is perfect. Uh, I guess I’ll, call you Sunday?”

“Sure, yeah, it’s a date then!” A date!

“Alright! I guess I’ll see you Sunday!”

“Yeah. Uh, I gotta go now, made it to work.” He could hear the sound of a car door through the phone. “Buh-bye!” It clicked, and then he was alone in the quiet of his classroom. He had a date with him. On Sunday. He hadn’t been on a date in so long, and now he has one, with kind and beautiful man. He was going to mess up and it would be horrible. Terrible. Awful. Wonderful. He couldn’t wait to see him.


End file.
